


We Could Be Heroes (AgAcaAU)

by BevvyWrites



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Agreste Academy AU, Alternate Universe - No Miraculous, Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, F/M, Lukanette, Private School, Roommates, adrienette - Freeform, anything sensitive will be prefaced with a trigger warning, but im going to keep any descriptions tame, reverse crush, some violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-06
Packaged: 2020-10-04 23:54:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20479559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BevvyWrites/pseuds/BevvyWrites
Summary: An increase in people born with unique abilities leads to the world leaders no longer able to keep them hidden from the public. Panic ensues, and no one is sure what to do. Then one day, Gabriel Agreste and his wife Emilie announce that they will fund a school to help properly train these new potential heroes to function normally in society. Sadly, Emilie passed away. The entire world mourned for her loss. However, Gabriel told the public he was determined to see her dream through to fruition. Gabriel decided that he would run the school, hoping for one day finding someone with the ability to bring his beloved back. He would bring her back, no matter the cost.





	1. Intro

“The world has always been full of strange things that science has not been able to fully comprehend. And it is very likely that science will never be able to comprehend these anomalies. One of the anomalies that have puzzled the darkest corners of the scientific community is when humans are born with strange abilities. The first known case was in the 1800s when a young girl learned she could make herself disappear. Being a child, she often used this as a way to play tricks on her nannies. It wasn’t until the parents found out that anything had been done about it. 

The priests were called in, and an exorcism was performed. 

The young girl didn’t make it. 

People often fear what they cannot understand, and for a while, that remained unchanged. Only, instead of priests being called in, it was doctors, scientists, or the local authorities. These children were promptly taken away, and the parents were paid off in order to keep the general public from panicking. But some knew. Some were aware of the horrible things being done to those who were taken in for “examination”. 

With the introduction of the internet, conspiracy boards began popping up. “Government hiding mutants”, “Human experimentation, parent’s of mutants paid off”, and other such blogs began spreading like weeds. The world governments never addressed the accusations, which only made people more skeptical. Eventually, those who gave birth to children who began showing signs of having abilities learned not to open their mouths. Of course, some still did out of fear but for the most part, the amount of super-powered children who showed up dwindled. 

Until the year 2000, that is. 

Suddenly, the number of people who showed signs of having powers began popping up all over the place. The numbers were too large to hide anymore, and the government finally had to address the issue. Of course, they never confirmed that they had done human experimentation, but they admitted that they were aware of the slim chance of a child being born with special attributes. 

As expected, there was a lot of panic and confusion. Those suspected of having powers were hunted down and beaten or worse. Chaos was rampant as those with powers began fighting back out of self-defense. It was a continuous cycle that many feared would bring about the end of the world as they knew it. 

And then, out of the ashes came the Agreste family. Emilie and Gabriel Agreste, two powerful people with hands in the fashion industry, decided that it was time for the cycle to end. They proposed a plan to open many schools around the world in order to educate and train those who have powers in an environment where they would be safe and under supervision. The Agreste’s wouldn’t be able to afford to build all of the schools, but they would start everything off by building the first academy in France. 

Finally, people felt like things would be okay. The academy was approved for construction and teachers who had abilities were sought out in order to make sure the students had teachers they could relate to and go to for advice on their powers. Everyone was elated. Gabriel and Emilie Agreste were seen as heroes.

Then tragedy struck for the Agreste family. Emilie Agreste passed away, leaving behind Gabriel and their sixteen-year-old son, Adrien. The world mourned the loss of Emilie, but Gabriel assured everyone that despite the loss, the school would open as planned. Gabriel threw himself into his work, becoming a recluse and focusing all of his attention on the project his wife held so dear.

And that was the beginning of the Agreste Academy for the Miraculous.” 

\------------------------------------

Marinette closes out of the article on her phone and looks out of the car window. She was on her way to the academy for the “miraculous”. With a little sigh, she leaned back against the seat, sending up a silent prayer that this academy will help her live a normal life. Otherwise, what was the point of leaving her family, friends, and her beloved Luka behind? 

Her purse twitched and she instinctively put her hand on it, making the movements stop. Despite what she hoped for, Marinette knew deep down that once she stepped inside the Agreste Academy that her life would change forever. She just wasn’t sure if she was ready for that change or not. 

There was only one way to find out.


	2. Chapter 1

The soft sound of flats padding against the tile floor was drowned out by the loud conversations of the loitering students that filled the halls. Messy pigtails trailed behind the flustered girl who was trying to carry all of her things herself. Marinette was running behind, as per usual, and she had no clue where her room was. Not to mention the first impression she would have on her new roommate would be that she was a total screw up. Marinette groaned as she tried desperately to find her new room. 

“This is what I get for transferring late into the school year…” Marinette grumbled as she continued her search. As she wandered the many halls of the school, trying to find the wing she was supposed to be in, she realized just how expansive the school really was. It was a wonder to her how quickly--in relation to the architecture and detail in the large building--everything had been built. 

While fashion would certainly always be her one true love, she couldn’t help but marvel and the lovely and ornate details of the school. The light-colored stone of the walls combined with the purple accents gave off an almost fantastical aura, which was only highlighted by the beautiful floor-to-ceilings. Whoever designed the blueprints was certainly among the best of the best. 

Marinette didn’t realize how lost in thought she had been until she realized that she was in a seemingly deserted part of the school. She pressed onward in hopes of finding someone so she could get some proper directions, finally deciding she needed to swallow her pride. Instead of finding someone, however, the only thing she found were small cracks in the walls. The cracks seemed to get larger the further she went. Marinette couldn’t stop the frown that appeared on her face. “How strange,” her soft whisper echoed in the empty hall, “This school is too new to have so many cracks already…” 

She couldn’t stop herself from backtracking to where the cracks began. Placing her things down carefully, Marinette turned to the wall and ran her fingers over the cracks. “It would be a shame to just leave it like this,” before the entire sentence passes her lips, the familiar tingle of her powers ran through her fingertips. She traced her finger along the cracks and slowly began repairing the wall. Normally, it would be a quick fix, but Marinette didn’t want to ruin anything in her haste and so concentrated on what she was doing. 

Unfortunately for her, she was so lost in thought that she didn’t even realize that she was being watched. Or that she had approached the door to a room that seemed to be the worst portion of the damage. It wasn’t until the person observing her had cleared their throat that she realized she wasn’t alone. Alarmed, Marinette nearly toppled backward, only barely able to manage to stay standing. 

She looked at the person who nearly caused her to have a heart attack. Standing in front of her with an expression of amazement was a tall blonde boy with striking green eyes. His gaze shifted from her to the wall, to her again. “Did… did you fix that wall?” the awe in his voice is palpable as he reaches a hand out to tentatively touched the previously deteriorated wall. Marinette notices the way he quickly jerked his hand back as if he were afraid it was going to crumble again. 

“Yes,” Marinette answered after a moment, “I can create and/or fix just about anything..” Her gaze travels to her feet as if her pink flats were suddenly the most interesting thing in the world. 

“That’s… that’s amazing…” his voice was so silent she almost didn’t hear him, but she did. She couldn’t help but flinch, expecting the onslaught of requests for precious materials that most people asked for. Marinette was capable of making them, after all, but she wasn’t going to use her abilities to cheat her way through life. “Do you think you could do me a favor…?” 

“I’m sorry, but I won’t make money or anything else that’s valuable. I don’t want to--” 

“Huh? No no!” the boy seemed rushed to correct himself, shaking his head quickly and waving his hands in front of him, “I was just wondering if you could…” he paused, glancing to the side and biting his lip, “fix the rest of the wall and fix my room..?” 

Marinette blinked, not able to hide her surprise, “I mean… sure, why not? But it’s really going to have to wait until I find my dorm room. You see, I just got here today and I’m totally lost.” 

The blonde tilted his head, “Where are you trying to go, miss?”

Marinette handed him the paper and he examined it. His eyes suddenly got as round as saucers, and he looked at the door to his room. “You’re assigned to my room?” his eyebrows furrowed, “I mean, I guess it makes sense considering your powers. But boys and girls aren’t supposed to dorm together..” 

Marinette’s mind had gone blank the moment he said that she was assigned to his room. Her? Assigned to the same room as a guy? But that was against the rules! This wasn’t supposed to be a mixed living school! That was one of the main reasons she was okay with coming! Marinette started shaking, her breathing getting quicker and her mind getting fuzzy. 

“..iss? M…? Miss!” her entire body jolted, everything coming back into focus as she looked at the concerned expression of the blonde in front of her, “Are you alright?” His hand was outstretched as if he were going to steady her, but he drew his hand back quickly. Almost as if he were afraid of her. 

“There must be some mistake,” Marinette croaked, still shaking. “I can’t share a room with a boy.” Now it was the blonde’s turn to begin shaking. While his expression didn’t change much, she could see the almost imperceivable quiver of his lips and the slight shine in his eyes. He hung his head. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, “this is my fault. My father wanted you here because you fix things.”   
“Your father? Because I fix things?” Marinette couldn’t hide her confusion, “What do you mean?” 

The blonde leaned against the newly repaired wall, and cracks slowly began to creep from where he rested against it. Marinette gasped and took a step back. He looked at her, his expression now dull. “My name is Adrien Agreste. Gabriel Agreste is my father. I was born with the curse of destroying everything I touch. And since you fix things, I guess he thinks that somehow you can fix me as well.” 

Somehow the sight of Adrien in front of her, looking so defeated and broken, stirred something within her. Here was this boy, who she was only now recognizing from the fashion magazines she loved so much, who was hidden away from everyone else. Alone with nothing but his destructive powers and his thoughts, it was bound to drive anyone mad. Marinette stepped closer to him, but he shied away. A frown made its way onto her face. She glanced at the wall, and with a single touch, she fixed the cracks again. 

“Adrien,” she whispered after a small lapse of silence, “I can only fix things that are broken.” Her eyes remained trained on where her fingers traced the rough texture of the wall. “You aren’t broken. You just need to learn to control your powers, like the rest of us. That’s what we are all here for.” 

“It’s okay to mess up, to break things, to make a mess. It’s okay to not be perfect. As long as you work to get better, as long as you’re doing the best you can, no one should fault you for what you accidentally destroy,” she lets out a little laugh, “I should know. I’m the biggest klutz you’ll ever meet. And sometimes I feel like I destroy everything. But my parents still love me, they help me and encourage me to just be more careful next time.” Marinette couldn’t stop herself. She didn’t know why she was sharing so much with a boy she had just met, but she saw a lot of herself in him. Marinette struggled a lot with feeling like she had little value besides what her powers allowed her, but for Adrien, he saw little value in himself because of his destructive powers. Marinette glanced at the boy, to find him looking at her with a wide-eyed expression. 

“My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Adrien,” she smiled, “I hope we can get along as friends, and as roommates.”

\--------------------------------------------------

Adrien quickly had to compose himself as he jaw nearly hit the floor. This girl--Marinette, what a lovely name--just said that she was going to actually be his roommate. “A-Are you sure that you want to be my roommate?” he was worried his voice was going to get stuck in his throat. He hadn’t really expected her to agree to it. He knows that he certainly wouldn’t have if he was in her shoes. 

“There will have to be some changes made, of course,” she says, very matter of factly, “Starting with repairing the room and the rest of this wall.” Adrien felt his face flush with shame and instinctively tried to shrink into himself. He was such a screwup, making her go through all of this trouble just because he couldn’t--

“Hey, it’s okay Adrien, really,” Marinette’s gentle voice reached through to him. “This isn’t a big deal. You should have seen the damage I did at my house when I was being chased around by a huge bug. Now that was embarrassing.” She walked to the other side of the wall and placed her hand on it. The cracks sealed up as if they had never been there in the first place, and the seemingly dilapidated door was good as new. 

“Miraculous..” Adrien whispered to himself. 

“Huh?” Marinette looked at him. 

“N-nothing,” he rubs at the back of his neck, eyes refusing to make eye contact with her. He could feel his face heating up. 

“Oh, alright then,” Adrien could tell she wasn’t convinced, but she didn’t say anything else about it. “I’m going to take care of the stuff in the room, would you mind getting my stuff for me?” She points down the hall where he sees her things piled up. 

“Aren’t you worried I’m going to… y’know, destroy it?” 

“If you destroy my stuff, I’m going to be obligated to kick your ass,” her tone sounded serious, but the expression on her face made it obvious that she was joking. Adrien couldn’t help but laugh. 

“Yes ma’am,” he gives her a mock salute, then goes down the hall to collect her things. He carefully cradled her box with one arm and dragged her luggage bag behind him. Adrien had to move slowly so as not to drop everything, and he was focusing intently on not using his powers. Marinette had left the door to the room open, so he was easily able to walk in. He nearly dropped the box when he walked in, amazed by the pristine condition everything was in. 

“I’m almost done!” Marinette smiled at him, taking the box from his arms and setting it on the floor. 

“Almost?” he asks. 

“Mhm. There isn’t really a place for me to sleep in here,” she says, looking around. She was right, Adrien realized. His room was large, by far the largest in the school, but there wasn’t anywhere for her to sleep. 

“I can sleep on the couch until they bring in another bed,” Adrien offers. 

“No worries about that, Adrien,” she said, waving her hand dismissively as she continues to look around. “This room is huge, so I’m kinda surprised there isn’t another bed.” Marinette was right, it was a little ridiculous that there wasn’t another bed in here, but he knew it was simply because his father didn’t want anyone to know about his powers. However, the room being so large left him feeling more than a little lonely. As he watched Marinette glance around, deep in thought, he almost felt embarrassed. 

On one side of the room, was his bed, and past the foot of his bed was his desk, where he had his large monitors set up. He had a large shelf filled with manga and CDs and figurines from his favorite shows right next to it. At that moment he couldn’t help but feel as if it were almost too childish of him to own anything like that. In between the two floor-to-ceiling windows was his large TV, with a couch in front of it and a game console placed on the stand below the TV. Adrien wondered for a moment of Marinette would enjoy video games, and made a mental note to ask her about it later. 

The other side of his room was almost empty, save for some miscellaneous things as well as the door to his closet. It was at that half of the room that Marinette was looking at the most intensely. “I think this spot will do,” she mused out loud. 

“What are you talking about?” Adrien already felt as if Marinette was full of surprises, so he really had no clue what she would have up her sleeve next. 

“I’m gonna fix this ‘no bed’ situation,” the way she said it made it seem like it should have been the most obvious thing in the world. Before Adrien could question further, Marinette held her hands out and concentrated, and suddenly a bed frame and mattress materialized out of seemingly nothing, and a tiny dresser and night table materialized as well. Adrien was going to ask how in the world she did that but was caught off-guard by her sinking to her knees, out of breath. 

“Marinette? Are you okay?!” the panic almost felt like it was choking him. Marinette held up a hand to signal that she was, in fact, okay. He let out a sigh of relief, “What on Earth happened?” 

After Marinette had caught her breath, she looked at him, “I can only do but so much before using my power starts having a physical effect on me. Don’t worry though, I’m okay. Just a little tired.” She stood up carefully, “There’s one more thing I need to make, but I’m going to do that after I finish setting up my area.” Just then, her stomach let out a loud rumble. She squeaked in embarrassment.

“Are you hungry?” Adrien asked, trying so hard to hide the amusement in his tone. 

“Maybe a little… I’ve been so busy wandering around most of the afternoon that I forgot to eat,” Marinette slapped a hand to her forehead, “And now I’m gonna have to figure out how to get to the cafeteria.”   
“Don’t worry about it,” Adrien assured her, “I’ll go get you something to eat.”

“Adrien you don’t have t--”

“Consider it thanks for helping me fix my--excuse me, our--room,” he smiled at her, “Plus, it will be easier for you to set up your things with me, not in the way.” 

The smile that made its way onto Marinette’s face was angelic, Adrien decided, and after she gave him a shy ‘thank you’ he made his way of the room. He was so ecstatic about how things seemed to finally be looking up for him, that he hardly registered all of the odd looks he was given as he passed through the halls. 

By the time Adrien got back, two to-go containers of food from the cafeteria in his hands as well as two drinks, Marinette had completely finished. There was now a divider in the room, one that sectioned off “her corner” of the room, as Marinette called it. That way she had all of the privacy she needed to make herself feel comfortable. She had it pulled back now, and the multitude of floral and pink made Adrien do a double-take.

“If it’s too annoying or bright, just let me know and I can change it,” Marinette suggested after seeing his expression. 

Adrien just laughed, “No no, it’s fine. Honestly, my room could use some color.” Marinette gave him another angelic smile, and he was sure that he was going to float away on cloud nine. 

Yes, things were finally starting to look up for him. He’d finally made his first friend.


	3. Chapter 2

“Wait--so you’re telling me I transferred in during the middle of your break?” Marinette looked at Adrien from the other end of the couch, incredulous before the relief coursed through her veins. She wasn’t sure she was ready to have any assignments yet. Feet resting on the middle couch, she listened to him speak.

“Well, it’s not a break,” Adrien explained. “A new professor was hired and his class is going to be a necessity for everyone to take, so my father wanted all hands on deck to get him properly adjusted to the school and set up his classroom.” 

“What kind of class could be so important that your dad feels like everything else should be on pause?” Marinette mused aloud. 

“No clue, I haven’t heard anything about it. But classes won’t start back up for another two days,” Adrien looked away from her and towards one of the colorful posters Marinette had hanging up in ‘her corner’. “Not that it matters for me; I don’t attend classes.” 

“What do you mean you don’t attend classes? That’s the whole point of being here!” Marinette threw her arms up in the air and gestured wildly. “How are you supposed to learn how to control your powers if you don’t take the class?” 

“Oh, I take the classes,” Adrien clarified, “Just not in class with everyone else. Father thinks it would be too big of a scandal if people found out just how destructive and uncoordinated I am.”

Marinette let out a huff. “Well, that makes no sense. How are you supposed to be encouraged to keep going if you don’t see how everyone else is messing up as well?” 

“What do you mean?” 

Marinette leaned forward, as if she were telling him a secret, and whispered, “I guarantee you there isn’t a single person in this school who has complete control over their powers. And if you could see that, then it would help you realize that you’re not ‘broken’ and that you just need practice like the rest of us.” 

“You seem to be pretty in control of your powers,” Adrien noted, “I can’t imagine you messing up as far as your powers are concerned.” 

Marinette shook her head sadly, and the look in her eyes screamed ‘fear’. “I’m not, Adrien. I’m still learning just like you.” 

Adrien wondered just what she could have done to mess up that seemed to make her afraid of her powers. What’s to fear when you can create and fix things like it’s nothing? He didn’t press the issue though, because he was too terrified of messing things up with her. He didn’t want to lose his only friend. 

He was startled backward when Marinette suddenly stood up, “That’s it! You’re going to be coming to classes with me!” She nodded definitively as if the matter were settled. 

“I don’t think father would be--” 

“He wants me to make sure you don’t break anything right?” Marinette grinned. “Well let’s use that ridiculous idea to our advantage. Just tell him that it will be easier for me to ‘damage control’ if you stick to me like glue, even in classes.” 

Adrien just looked at her dumbfounded, “You think that would work? And… and you don’t mind me tagging along?” Honestly, he thought Marinette was a little crazy. Who would want him around all the time? He didn’t want Marinette to feel like she had to babysit him. 

“Of course I don’t mind, Adrien!” she smiled at him, “How are you ever going to make more friends if you stay cooped up in here all the time?” She reached out as if to take his hand, and instinctively Adrien shied away. Marinette didn’t make a fuss about it, though, and simply lowered her hand. “I don’t want you to feel like I’m trying to be a babysitter for you, because honestly, I don’t think you need one. But, if you stuck to me means that you’re able to get out of this room, then by all means do it. Just let me know if I get too annoying and I’ll just shut my mouth.” 

“I don’t think you could annoy me if you tried,” Adrien says, voice was so soft that even he almost didn’t hear it, but Marinette did. A smile lit up her face and subsequently lit up Adrien’s world. She is so beautiful. 

“Alright then, Adrien,” she stood up, stretching. “Would you mind giving me a tour of the school? I think it's high time we get off our butts and get some exercise.” 

“Somehow I feel like I’m not gonna have a choice in the matter,” Adrien teased lightly. In reality, he didn’t see how anyone could turn down the chance to spend time with her.

“Smart,” Marinette responded simply, shooting him a teasing grin as she slipped on her flats. Adrien just laughed and put his shoes on as well, before the two headed off down the hallway. Once they reached the end of the hall, they entered the common area, where students were scattered about in groups. 

Adrien suddenly felt overwhelmed seeing all the people and instinctively moved closer to Marinette. She noticed how tense he had gotten, and looked up at him in concern. “You know, Adrien. If it makes it less scary for you, you can hold my arm. I don’t mind.” She looked away, almost as if she were embarrassed, “Sometimes... I don’t do very well in crowds, and it always helps if I hold on to someone’s arm.” 

Adrien was surprised by the vulnerability in her tone. This girl, who he had only known for about two days now, was doing more for him than anyone else had ever done. He wondered about the level of kindness it took for someone to open themselves up like that for the sake of a stranger. Because basically, Adrien was a stranger to Marinette. Yet, she had extended a hand and decided to room with him and was doing everything she could to help him. 

“I’m scared I’ll hurt you,” Adrien let slip out suddenly, and then he looked away from Marinette in shame. 

Marinette looked at him in surprise. “Adrien, I know you wouldn’t hurt me. The thought never even crossed my mind.” Looking back, he saw the concern she had for him, plain as day on her face.

“Really?” 

“Of course, silly. Do you honestly think I would sleep in the same room as someone who I was scared would hurt me?”

Adrien covered his face with one of his hands as he chuckled, shaking his head. He laughed because he knew that if he didn’t, he’d be crying instead. “You’re a crazy girl, Marinette.” 

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” 

“Good,” Adrien smiled at her and offered his arm for her to link hers through his. “I wouldn’t dream of insulting you.” Marinette giggled, and linked her arm through his. They served as a comfort to each other, as they both were unfamiliar with the people around them. As they walked, he pointed out the halls that extended off of the common room, explaining where each lead. The halls on the bottom floor were dorms, and the hallways that were on the floor above them were the classes. The pair got quite a few stares from the people around them, some talked in hushed whispers, but neither of them chose to comment on it. 

It wasn’t until Adrien got a phone call from Nathalie, his father’s assistant, that Adrien had to step away. He apologized profusely to Marinette, promising to make it quick and to be back as soon as he could. “No worries, Adrien,” Marinette smiled. “While you’re talking with him, bring up what we talked about earlier, yeah?” Adrien assured her that he would, and quickly made his way toward where his father’s office was located. 

Suddenly feeling a lot more anxious, Marinette decided to sit on one of the few empty couches in the common room. ‘This will be a safe enough spot to wait’, she determined, deciding to message her parents to let them know she had settled in well. Marinette had just sent the text when she heard someone clear their throat above her. Startled, she quickly leaned back and looked at whoever had approached her. 

That “whoever” had turned out to be a girl her age with an expression that screamed, “I’m about to interrogate you.” 

“Can I… help you?” Marinette asked shyly. 

“Are you new? What were you doing with Adrien Agreste? Haven’t you heard the rumors? Although I guess if you’re new you wouldn’t have. What are your powers? When did you--” 

Marinette’s head was spinning with all of the questions when someone thankfully interrupted the mystery girl in front of her. 

“Yo, Alya, don’t interrogate the poor girl,” a boy who seemed oddly familiar walked up, placing a hand on the girl--Alya’s--shoulder. Then he turned to look at her and he gasped, “Whoa no way, dude. Marinette, is that you?” 

Marinette’s eyes widen in shock. She knew him! Nino, someone who she went to elementary school with. 

“Nino? What are you doing here?” Marinette was so relieved by seeing another familiar face that she stood up and wrapped him in a tight hug, “It’s been so long.” 

“Nino you didn’t tell me you knew her!” Alya whisper shouted, pinching Nino’s ear after Marinette had stepped back from the hug. 

“Ouch! Chill dudette; I didn’t realize it was her until just now!” 

Alya let go with a huff, and turned and smiled at Marinette. “Let’s start over. I’m Alya Cesaire, and I run the school newspaper. I saw you walking with Adrien Agreste and my curiosity was piqued.”

“And that’s dangerous,” Nino muttered, rubbing at his sore ear and looking away bitterly. Alya nudged him with taking her eyes off of Marinette. 

“So, how do you know Adrien?” Alya asked. 

“Adrien?” Marinette tilted her head, “He’s my roommate. I just met him two days ago.” 

“What?!” Alya was whisper shouting again. 

“I thought this school didn’t let dudes and dudettes dorm with each other.” 

Marinette shrugged, “Apparently I’m the exception, for some reason. But it’s okay. Adrien is a real gentleman.” 

“He’s hardly ever seen outside of his dorm, so no one knows much about him,” Alya leaned forward and lowered her voice, “Some people say that he could kill you with a single glare.” 

“He would never!!” Marinette shouted, not caring about the stares she had attracted to herself, “He’s been locked away in that room all by himself since this school opened, too afraid of what everyone might think of him. He’s terrified enough of himself, he doesn’t need people spreading rumors making others scared of him as well.” Marinette couldn’t believe her ears. 

“W-Woah, Mari,” Nino started, trying to calm her down, “It’s just a rumor. We’ll be sure to correct anyone we hear saying those things though, alright?” 

“Good. Because even though it’s ‘just a rumor’,” she looked at Alya, “People spreading misinformation is dangerous. You run the school newspaper, right? Why don’t you put something out there put those rumors to rest?” 

“No one’s ever held a conversation with him, Marinette,” Alya frowned, “I mean I’d be happy if I could get to know him a little more. I wouldn’t want anyone to feel ostracized. Especially when I have the ability to change it.” 

A smile lit up Marinette’s face. “Perfect! Thank you so much! He’s going to be coming back to meet me once he’s done with talking to his father. It would be so awesome if we could all be friends.” 

“Anyone who you say is cool is fine by me, Mari-dude.” Nino gave her a fist bump. “But still, it’s crazy we’re both here. Who would have guessed we’d both have weird abilities?” 

“Speaking of which!” Alya grinned, “What are your abilities, exactly?” Looking at Marinette expectedly, she waited for an answer.

“Oh um, I can… make stuff?” Marinette looked away, “B-but I refuse to make anything that would make anyone rich. That would be cheating, and immoral.” Nino, who seemed to sense her unease, placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. It only made Marinette that much more thankful that she knew someone at this school. 

“You know what, Marinette? I think if anyone is to have a power like that, it’s best in the hands of someone like you,” Nino said, comforting her, “It would be too easy for someone less chill to use that to cause all sorts of problems.” 

“I agree.” Alya nodded. “I’m glad you’re a good person.”   
“And what about the two of you?” Marinette smiled, “There’s a reason the two of you are at this school.” 

“Turtle-boy here is extremely durable,” Alya grinned, reaching up and pinching his ear again, “Even though he acts like a big baby.” 

“That hurts, Al.” 

“So you can’t get cut or anything?” Marinette tilted her head to the side, thinking back to their younger years when it did seem like he never had a scraped knee, no matter how hard he fell. 

“Well, it’s possible.” Nino scratched at his cheek, “It’s just friggin’ hard. But I can also put up little shields around other people.” 

“Oh wow! That’s so cool, Nino.” Marinette smiled at him. “You’re like a real superhero.” 

“Ah shucks.” Nino’s cheeks tinged with a slight blush, not expecting the praise. “That’s nothing compared to Alya’s powers.” 

“Your powers can help people, Nino,” Alya said, rolling her eyes. “All I can do is make little illusions and be a little--”

“A lot,” Nino corrected. 

“--persuasive,” Alya finished after giving him a little look. “I’m basically a glorified magician.” 

“I bet it’s really helpful in journalism, though,” Marinette encouraged with a smile, “I think both of you have a lot of potential with your powers. And I’m glad you both decided to come here.”

“Girl you are just too sweet!” Alya exclaimed, scooping the girl up in a bone-crushing hug. “That’s it, it’s decided. You and I are going to be best friends!” 

Marinette looked to Nino for help, and all he had to offer in response was a little head shake and a mouthed ‘I’m sorry’. Suddenly, someone was clearing their throat from behind Marinette, and Alya backed off from the hug, looking almost nervous. Marinette glanced over her shoulder and saw it was Adrien looking at her with an awkward expression on his face. 

“Wonderful!” Marinette grinned excitedly. “Adrien, meet Nino and Alya. Alya and Nino, meet Adrien!” She was determined to make sure that people knew that Adrien was friendly, and not someone they should be afraid of. She knew it would take time, no thanks to how his father kept him hidden away in an empty wing, but she was stubborn enough to make it work. 

“What’s up, dude?” Nino holds his fist out as if to offer a fist bump, and Adrien hesitantly complies with a little smile. “Nice to meet you, Adrien. I’ve known Mari since elementary school, and I’m just going to apologize in advance.” 

“Apologize?” Adrien and Marinette say in unison, with Adrien sounding confused and Marinette sounding a bit offended. 

“Oh yeah, Marinette used to bully me all the time when we were kids,” Nino was obviously teasing, but it still made Marinette huff, which simply encouraged him to continue, “And when we had naps? She would snore so loud it’d wake the class up!” 

Marinette playfully hit Nino, embarrassment plain as day on her face, “I do not snore! And you were the one who bullied me! You’d always yank my hair and hide my lunchbox!” 

Adrien and Alya both were laughing at their antics, and Alya looked at Adrien as the two continued to bicker back and forth. “Nice to meet you, Adrien, I’m Alya. Marinette’s told us how cool you are and I’d be happy if we could be friends.” 

Adrien smiled and nodded. “Yeah,” his voice was soft as he looked at Marinette still bickering with a now apologetic looking Nino. “I’d like that a lot. But actually, I need to talk to Marinette about something private.” 

“Huh?” Marinette turned from Nino--who looked very relieved--and looked to Adrien, “What’s up Adrien?” 

“I just wanted to talk to you about something,” Adrien fiddled nervously with the bottom of his overshirt, and Marinette nodded. 

“Okay then, let’s go back to the room and talk,” Marinette looped her arm around one of his and began to pull him gently away, “Thanks for keeping me company Alya and Nino, it was nice talking to both of you!” 

\---------------------------------------

As Marinette pulled him away, Adrien couldn’t help the fuzzy feeling that spread through him. Why was he suddenly so okay with Marinette being close to him? And why was Marinette so comfortable having her arm looped through his? Adrien feared nothing more than causing harm to someone, especially someone who has extended an olive branch out to him the way Marinette had. He didn’t want to bring up his concerns, though, in fear of Marinette believing he was simply a crybaby. 

But you are a crybaby. 

The voice in the back of his mind was not a friendly one, but Adrien did his best to ignore it. Now wasn’t the time to be pitying himself. He had good news to share with Marinette. The meeting went much better than he had anticipated, and honestly, he found the entire encounter rather odd, but he was simply going to count his blessings. 

When they got into the room, Marinette slipped her flats off and sat on the couch, patting the seat next to her, “So what’d you have to tell me?” 

“Well…” Adrien sat down on the opposite end of the couch, still too timid to sit directly next to her. “Father told me that I could attend normal classes! The only catch was that I’d have to take all of the classes you’re taking, so our schedules are the same.” He couldn’t hide the grin on his face. 

“That’s amazing Adrien! I just knew it would work out!” the excitement in her voice was so genuine that it almost startled Adrien. Was she that happy for him? “Although honestly, I expected it to be a lot more difficult than just talking with him once. He seems to be strict.” 

“He’s just overprotective,” Adrien said, trying to defend his father. “He means well. But honestly? I thought it was a little weird how easily he agreed with me.” 

“Was that all he had to say?” 

Adrien thought back and remembered the moment of silence his father had before agreeing with Adrien’s idea. “He said that I needed to become close to you, that you would end up helping me more than either of us realize right now. He mentioned some ‘bigger picture’ and a bunch of other nonsense that didn’t make much sense. Something about research on how to fix everything? I assume he means trying to make my powers go away,” he rubbed at his neck, “Honestly, I was just so excited about being able to go to class with you that everything else was just background noise.” 

Adrien felt his face heat up, and he hoped that he didn’t just say something embarrassing. 

Marinette was silent for a minute, then she spoke up. “If he is trying to figure out a way to make your powers go away, I hope you don’t let him.” 

“Honestly, Marinette,” Adrien looked her in the eyes, which he tried to avoid doing as much as possible since he always felt like he was suffocating in the honesty and openness her expression always held, “I wouldn’t care if he took away my powers. I don’t want to live the rest of my life afraid of what I’m capable of doing.” 

“Then don’t.” Marinette stood and began pacing back and forth. “You just haven’t been able to use your powers in a way that benefits people yet.” 

“I don’t follow.” 

“Think about it, Adrien. If there was someone trapped in a building, you could create a way to break them free! If someone were stuck under rubble, you could disintegrate the rubble and presto! You just saved their life.” Marinette put a hand on her hip and held a finger up in a matter-of-fact manner. “Destruction is just as necessary as creation. And Adrien, with a little practice and reassurance, I believe that you could do a lot of good for people with your powers.” 

Adrien was dumbfounded. Marinette made some excellent points, but could he do as much good as she thought he could? Somehow he found it impossible that it was in his scope of abilities. But he would be lying if he said it wasn’t incredibly tempting to fall for the delusion. “Do you think I can do good for other people, Marinette? You don’t think they’d be afraid of me?” 

The way her expression changed into something softer, more sympathetic, made his heart clench. He didn’t want her to feel sorry for him. He felt sorry for himself enough. “It doesn’t matter if anyone is afraid of you or not, Adrien. You have to learn to not be afraid of yourself. And that’s something that doesn’t happen overnight. Trust me, I still struggle with it every day.” 

Adrien then realized that there was so much more to learn about Marinette. There were bits of a bigger picture that she didn’t want anyone to see, and he knew that it would take time to be able to finally understand what made her so wise beyond her years. But until he was able to figure that out, he decided it was best to take Marinette’s words and keep them close to his heart. 

Because advice like what she had given him, only came from personal experience.

“I guess we should work on it together, then,” he suggested quietly. 

Marinette walked over to one of the windows, looking out over one of the gardens. She seemed spaced out now as if she were imagining herself somewhere else.

“Yeah,” she whispered, “Together.”


End file.
